News

Read the latest news from ARC Adoption North East as well as details of regional and national adoption campaigns and support initiatives:

New Family Social's support week for LGBT+ adopters returns 20th to 24th September

ARC Adoption North East is proud to support the 2021 Adoption and Fostering Support Week for LGBT+ parents, organised by UK charity, New Family Social. Read more

Latest national adoption campaign focusses on finding families for Black and mixed heritage children

At a time when national statistics reveal that children from Black and ethnic minority groups take longer to be placed with an adoptive family, the latest #YouCanAdopt campaign seeks to increase the number of Black adopters. Read more

ARC Adoption join the YouCanAdopt Campaign

Almost half the number of children waiting for adoption are in family groups of two or more. ARC Adoption is joining the #YouCanAdopt campaign which aims to encourage those thinking about adoption and approved adopters to consider adopting brothers and sisters. Read more

ARC Adoption places 200th child with forever family

Covid restrictions haven’t stopped voluntary adoption agency ARC Adoption North East from doing what they do best, finding loving homes for those children waiting to be adopted, as the team places their 200th child with their forever family. Read more

Children are waiting

ARC Adoption North East has joined forces with a group of Voluntary Adoption Agencies from across the UK to encourage potential adopters to adopt those children who wait the longest. Read more

ARC Adoption North East joins campaign calling for LGBT+ people to consider adoption as a route to ‘Build Your Family’

LGBT+ people in the UK are urged to explore adoption and fostering as potential parenting routes in a campaign launching today (1 March). With 80,000 children in care in 2020 in England alone, LGBT+ Adoption & Fostering Week brings together adoption agencies and LGBT+ possible applicants. Read more

Honour's list award for ARC Adoption's director Terry Fitzpatrick

Terry Fitzpatrick, director at ARC Adoption North East, has been awarded an OBE for services to children in North East England. Read more

200th Adopter for ARC Adoption North East

Voluntary adoption agency ARC Adoption North East have approved their 200th set of adopters since the not-for-profit voluntary adoption agency was established in 2014. Read more

Latest

Fostering for Adoption Workshop Wednesday 20th October 2021

ARC Adoption North East would like to invite their adopters to a Fostering for Adoption workshop. It outlines the key aspects of the Fostering for Adoption process and how it differs from mainstream adoption. Come and join the team to find out more.
New Family Social's support week for LGBT+ adopters returns 20th to 24th September

ARC Adoption North East is proud to support the 2021 Adoption and Fostering Support Week for LGBT+ parents, organised by UK charity, New Family Social.
Nicola Storey

Marketing and Business Manager
Joan Johnson

Birth Parent Support Assistant

How adoption works

Adoption is a way of providing new families for children who cannot be looked after by their birth parents and need to belong to a new family.
How long does the UK adoption process take?
Matching panel

Once the family finding process is complete the match will need to be agreed formally by the adoption panel for the child’s agency. If approval is recommended by the adoption panel for the match, the child’s adoption agency decision maker then makes the final decision.
Fostering for adoption

At ARC Adoption North East are committed to exploring different routes to adoption. ARC Adoption offers an early permanence route, often referred to as fostering for adoption or foster to adopt. Fostering for adoption means that young children, usually babies, are placed at a young age with approved potential adopters who would also be approved temporary foster carers whilst the family court decides on the child’s future.
LGBTQ+ Adopters

At ARC Adoption North East, we welcome enquiries and applications from everyone including all members of the LGBT+ community.
Checks and references

Stage one of the adoption process begins after you have received some general information, an initial visit at your home and ARC Adoption North East are in receipt of your ‘registration of interest’ from you.
Children are waiting

ARC Adoption North East has joined forces with a group of Voluntary Adoption Agencies from across the UK to encourage potential adopters to adopt those children who wait the longest.
Initial visit

Following your initial enquiry, if you would like to progress with the adoption process a member of ARC Adoption North East’s team will visit you in your home. The initial visit will be very informal and take place at a date and time that is convenient for you and will last about two hours. It’s an opportunity to have your questions answered in more detail and help the team get to know you better.
Finding the right child for you

Once you become an approved adopter, it’s time to start looking for the right child or children that will join your family.
Adoption statistics and facts

In the North East of England, children waiting to be adopted outnumbers adopters 3:1. Could you adopt a child? If you have questions about adoption, or would like more information about the adoption process and the outstanding support available at ARC Adoption North East, email [email protected] or call 01915166466.